2012 Toyota Prius Visibility & Wipers Problems

The front windshield wiper no longer performs on high but does perform on the lower settings. We experienced very heavy rain yesterday for the first time in a while and needed the high setting to adequately visualize the road and vehicles. It once switched to high the wipers were inoperable and had to be reduced in speed to even function. This is a significant safety concern as it drastically compromises your visibility in heavy rain conditions, such as those we experienced. Yes it is available for inspection upon request.

WIND SHIELD WIPER SWITCH QUIT WORKING AT 62,500 MILE.THE WIND SHIELD WIPER MOTOR IS NOW MAKING GRINDING NOISES AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED(74,000 MILES). BOTH PARTS BROKE WHEN WE WERE TRAVELING OUT OF STATE,DURING RAIN STORMS.

2012 TOYOTA PRIUS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE WINDOW EXPLODED. *SMD WHILE DRIVING 35-40 MPH ON A PAVED ROAD, THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD POP. HE THOUGHT IT WAS A TIRE BLOW OUT, BUT HE SOON REALIZED, THE REAR WINDOW HAD CRACKED, FOR NO APPARENT REASON. *JB

I BOUGHT A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS PLUG-IN. THE WINDSHIELD CREATES A GHOSTING EFFECT ON LIGHTS, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. LIGHTS FROM OTHER CARS AND STREETLIGHTS ARE GLARING THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD WITH A GHOSTED IMAGE ABOVE AND BELOW SO I SEE THREE LIGHTS. THE EFFECT IS SO PRONOUNCED THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO READ LIT HIGHWAY SAFETY SIGNS AT NIGHT BECAUSE THE GHOSTING OBSCURES THE LETTERS COMPLETELY. THE LIGHTS LOOK FINE THROUGH THE SIDE GLASS, SO IT IS CLEARLY AN ISSUE JUST WITH THE WINDSHIELD. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THEY DISMISSED MY COMPLAINT. HOWEVER I SEE THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED THE EXACT SAME THING ONLINE AND OUR LOCAL NEWS CHANNEL IN THE SAN FRANCISCO AREA KABC CHANNEL 7 HAS BEGIN A "7 ON YOUR SIDE" INVESTIGATION. PLEASE URGE TOYOTA TO RECALL THESE DANGEROUS WINDSHIELDS. *TR

ON OCT. 23, 2013 AT 6AM IN THE MORNING IN ABOUT 45 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, MY TOYOTA PRIUS 2012 REAR WINDOW EMITTED A LOUD PUNCHING SOUND AND THEN SHATTERED WHEN I TURNED ON THE REAR WIPER. I GOOGLED THE INCIDENT AND WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES WHO EXPERIENCE THIS. THERE HAVE BEEN SIMILAR INCIDENTS ON OTHER PRIUS IN OTHER YEARS AS WELL. THUS, WE ARE REPORTING IT AND HOPE THIS WILL BE LOOKED INTO. OUR CAR IS BARELY A YEAR OLD AND UNDER WARRANTY BUT OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER SAID WARRANTY WILL NOT COVER THIS. THANK GOODNESS OUR AUTO POLICY WILL AND WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY A DEDUCTIBLE. *TR

WINDSHIELD WAS CHIPPED BY SOME DEBRIS WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 55 MPH, THE SIZE WAS HALF A CENTIMETER, IF THAT. THE NEXT MORNING IT TURNED INTO A 6 INCH CRACK AND HAS GROWN EVEN BIGGER IN THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS TO WHERE IT HAS COME TO BLOCK MY VISION. OTHER CARS THAT I HAVE OWNED HAD CHIPS IN THE WINDSHIELD, BUT NEVER DEVELOPED INTO A CRACK. I AM THINKING THE WINDSHIELD IS TOO, TOO, THIN FOR IT TO BE PRACTICAL FOR A VEHICLE TRAVELING HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND HAVE READ THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AMONG OTHER OWNERS. MY BIGGEST CONCERN, IF THE DEBRIS IS A LITTLE LARGER, WILL THE WINDSHIELD PREVENT PENETRATION INTO THE DRIVER AND/OR PASSENGER COMPARTMENT SO AS NO ONE WILL BE HARMED DUE TO A THIN WINDSHIELD? *TR

I AM BEGINNING TO NOTICE MORE AND MORE TINY SPECKS EVENLY DISTRIBUTED ON THE WINDSHIELD THAT APPEAR TO BE IN THE MATERIAL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD BECAUSE NO AMOUNT OF WINDOW CLEANING CAN MAKE THEM GO AWAY. THE SPECKS ARE VERY DISTRACTING WHEN TRAVELING INTO THE SUN AND I BELIEVE ARE A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS C. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE REAR WINDSHIELD SHATTERED WITHOUT WARRANT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000. *TR

THE WINDSHIELD HAS A VERTICAL "PRISM" EFFECT WITH ANY LIGHT SOURCE COMING THROUGH IT. *TR

NEW 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS PLUG-IN. VISIBILITY THROUGH FRONT WINDSHIELD IS BLURRY - PARTICULARLY NOTICEABLE AT NIGHT WHEN LIGHT SOURCES ARE VIEWED THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. LIGHT SOURCES PRODUCE MULTIPLE IMAGES (UP TO TWO ADDITIONAL) BELOW THE ORIGINAL LIGHT SOURCE. PROBLEM IS ALSO NOTICEABLE DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS, PARTICULARLY DURING CLOUDY CONDITIONS. GHOSTING EFFECT WORSE AT A DISTANCE, DOES NOT SEEM TO OCCUR WHEN LIGHT SOURCE IS VERY CLOSE TO VEHICLE (FOR EXAMPLE WITHIN 10 FEET). GHOSTING EFFECT IS QUITE NOTICEABLE AT NIGHT. I AM WORRIED THAT THE PROBLEM MAY CAUSE HEADACHES, VISUAL FATIGUE, AND ACCIDENTS. *TR

WINDSHIELD PRODUCES BLURRY VISION OR DUPLICATED IMAGES AT NIGHT. TAILLIGHTS AND STREET LIGHTS ARE SHOWN IN MULTIPLES OF TWO OR THREE. EXTENDED DRIVING BEYOND 20 MINUTES CAUSES EYE FATIGUE AND ALSO DISTORTED GAUGE OF DISTANCE. *TR

BRAND NEW PRIUS 2012 WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, LIGHTS, ESPECIALLY RED IN COLOR, WHEN VIEWED FROM FRONT WINDSHIELD, APPEAR AS THREE DISTINCT IMAGES. ONE DARK IMAGE ALONG WITH TWO FAINT IMAGE ONE ABOVE AND ONE BELOW THE DARK ONE. I GOT THE CAR IN NOV END, REPORTED THE ISSUE IN DEC 17 TO TOYOTA, THEN WENT TO DEALER BEFORE CHRISTMAS. TECHNICIAN THERE ACKNOWLEDGED THE ISSUE AND ORDERED A NEW GLASS. WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED ON 11 JAN BUT SAW THE SAME ISSUE, TECHNICIAN TEST DROVE THE CAR AND ACKNOWLEDGED THE ISSUE IS STILL THERE. TOYOTA REP WILL COME AND LOOK INTO THE ISSUE. IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AS SOMETIMES THERE ARE LOTS OF RED TAIL LIGHTS AHEAD. I SEE LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED THE ISSUE ......BELOW ARE ODI ID NUMBER FOR PRIUS 2012. SEEMS LIKE COMMON PROBLEM. NOT SURE IF TOYOTA IS WAITING FOR ACCIDENTS TO HAPPEN BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE BEFORE FIXING IT. ODI ID NUMBER : 10490622 ODI ID NUMBER : 10485390 ODI ID NUMBER : 10485239 ODI ID NUMBER : 10483605 ODI ID NUMBER : 10483561 ODI ID NUMBER : 10482102 ODI ID NUMBER : 10479684. *TR

2012 PRIUS HAS SERIOUS DEFECT IN THE WINDSHIELD LAMINATION. BRIGHT LIGHT SOURCES ARE TRIPLED AT NIGHT. A GHOST IMAGE APPEARS ABOVE AND BELOW THE ORIGINAL LIGHT SOURCE. LIGHT SOURCES MAY BE, HEADLIGHTS, TAILLIGHTS, SIGNAL LIGHTS, AND EVEN REFLECTED LIGHTS OFF CERTAIN ROAD SIGNS. AS YOU APPROACH THE LIGHT SOURCE, THE TWO GHOST IMAGES WILL MERGE INTO THE PRIMARY LIGHT SOURCE. THE SAFETY HAZARD IS EXTREME EYE FATIGUE AT NIGHT, AND SEVERE VISUAL DISTORTION THAT IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE LIGHT SOURCE. *TR

2012 PRIUS HAS SERIOUS DEFECT IN THE WINDSHIELD LAMINATION. BRIGHT LIGHT SOURCES ARE TRIPLED AT NIGHT. A GHOST IMAGE APPEARS ABOVE AND BELOW THE ORIGINAL LIGHT SOURCE. LIGHT SOURCES MAY BE, HEADLIGHTS, TAILLIGHTS, SIGNAL LIGHTS, AND EVEN REFLECTED LIGHTS OFF CERTAIN ROAD SIGNS. AS YOU APPROACH THE LIGHT SOURCE, THE TWO GHOST IMAGES WILL MERGE INTO THE PRIMARY LIGHT SOURCE. THE SAFETY HAZARD ARE EXTREME EYE FATIGUE AT NIGHT, AND SEVERE VISUAL DISTORTION THAT IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE LIGHT SOURCE. *TR

WHEN OPERATING THE PRIUS V ON A SUNNY DAY, THE REFLECTION OF THE SIDE DASH PANEL BLOCKS THE VIEW OF THE SIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR. THE REFLECTION OCCURS IN BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE GLASS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE TOYOTA DEALER. THEIR RESPONSE WAS THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND IT WAS NORMAL! THIS SAFETY ISSUE HAS ALSO BEEN REPORTED TO TOYOTA. THEY ASSIGNED A CASE NUMBER AND RESPONDED THE PROBLEM WAS KNOWN AND THEIR WAS NO KNOWN REPAIR. THEY ALSO STATED THE ISSUE HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED AS A DESIGN ISSUE. THIS IS MY FIRST, AND LAST, TOYOTA. THIS ISSUE COULD BE NORMAL FOR A TOYOTA, BUT IT IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR ME AS IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND MUST BE FIXED. I INQUIRED IF I COULD PURCHASE BLACK PANELS TO MINIMIZE THE REFLECTION AND WAS TOLD THE PANELS WERE ONLY AVAILABLE IN LIGHT GREY AND LIGHT BISQUE (BOTH VERY REFLECTIVE). UPDATED 8/12/13 *CN *TR

PRIUS IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. THE WINDSHIELD DISTORTS LIGHT SOURCES AND CAUSES A GHOSTING/MULTIPLYING EFFECT. TRAFFIC SIGNALS IMAGES ARE DOUBLED, TRIPLED OR MORE - NOT SAFE AS IT IS DISTRACTING AND CONFUSING. THIS ISSUE IS VERY PROMINENT AT NIGHT. IT IS NOT JUST TRAFFIC SIGNALS BUT OTHER LIGHT SOURCES AS WELL. IN DECEMBER 2012, I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND WAS REFERRED TO DEALER. SERVICE MANAGER CONFIRMED ISSUE AND SAID THAT HE IS WAITING ON TOYOTA ON HOW TO FIX - NO RESOLUTION AFTER ONE YEAR OF WAITING. *TR

THE WINDSHIELD HAS A SERIOUS OPTICAL ILLUSION DURING NIGHT TIME DRIVING. THE WINDSHIELD CREATES A GHOST IMAGE OF THE ORIGINAL LIGHT SOURCE - THE GHOST IMAGE APPEARS ABOVE AND BELOW THE ORIGINAL LIGHT SOURCE. FOR EXAMPLE, AT NIGHT THE RED TRAFFIC LIGHT WILL HAVE A GHOST IMAGE OF THE RED LIGHT ABOVE AND BELOW IT, ULTIMATELY SHOWING THREE RED LIGHTS (GHOST IMAGE(1), ORIGINAL LIGHT(2), AND ANOTHER GHOST IMAGE (3)). THIS CAN ALSO BE SEEN WITH THE YELLOW AND GREEN TRAFFIC LIGHTS, ONCOMING CAR HEADLIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS, STREET LIGHTS, AND PEDESTRIAN WALK SIGNS. *TR

BRAND NEW 2012 PRIUS DRIVING OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP AT NIGHT, NOTICED A RATHER BOTHERSOME TRAIT: LIGHTS VIEWED THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD HAVE A PRISM EFFECT WHERE THERE IS A "GHOST" IMAGE LOCATED ABOVE AND BELOW THE ACTUAL LIGHT SOURCE. I WANTED TO KNOW IF THIS WAS DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD, OR JUST HOW THE PRIUS IS DUE TO THE VERY LOW ANGLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. IT IS DEFINITELY A PRISM TYPE EFFECT AS IT DIFFERS BY COLOR, AND AS YOU APPROACH THE LIGHT SOURCE, THE GHOST IMAGES MERGE INTO THE SINGLE IMAGE. THIS HAPPENS WITH ALL LIGHT SOURCES, THE SUN (WORST OF ALL), HEADLIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS,STREET LIGHTS, TRAFFIC LIGHTS, ETC. WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT THIS GHOSTING OF THE LIGHT SOURCES IS REALLY DISTRACTING AND MAKES IT LOOK LIKE YOU ARE LOOKING AT A BLURRED IMAGE. NOTHING IS CRISP OR CLEAR. IT'S BAD ENOUGH THAT MY WIFE AND I ARE NOT DRIVING THE CAR AT NIGHT AND USING ANOTHER VEHICLE. WE HAVE HAD OTHERS IN THE CAR TO CONFIRM THE ISSUE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER WITH THE ISSUE AND THEY HAVE YET TO REPLY... *TR

THERE IS A GHOSTING IMAGE SEEN THROUGH THE FRONT WINDSHIELD ON MY NEW 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS II THAT IS AFFECTING NIGHT TIME DRIVING AND THE VISIBILITY OF LIGHTS, ESPECIALLY RED LIGHTS. WHEN YOU ARE OPERATING THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT AND YOU APPROACH A LIGHT THERE IS A GHOST IMAGE OF THE LIGHT ABOVE AND BELOW THE ACTUAL LIGHT SOURCE UNTIL YOU GET WITHIN A FEW FEET OF THE LIGHT SOURCE THEN IT DISAPPEARS. THIS IS BECOMING A SAFETY ISSUE FOR MYSELF AS WELL AS MANY OTHER 2012 PRIUS OWNERS THAT I HAVE TALKED TO ABOUT THIS. I HAVE 20/20 VISION WITH NO NEED FOR GLASSES AND THIS IS BEGINNING TO CAUSE A STRAIN ON MY VISION, AS I IMAGINE FOR OTHERS AN EVEN GREATER STRAIN. I HAVE HEARD OF MANY OTHERS EVEN HAVING TWO GHOST IMAGES BELOW AND ABOVE THE LIGHT SOURCE. BELOW IS HOW IT WOULD LOOK. GHOST IMAGE OF LIGHT ACTUAL LIGHT SOURCE GHOST IMAGE OF LIGHT *TR

WINDSHIELD OPTICS CAUSE LIGHT SOURCES TO TRIPLE WITH GHOSTING ABOVE AND BELOW THE SOURCE OF LIGHT. THIS IS CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN JUDGING DISTANCE, DISTRACTION AND EYE STRAIN WHILE DRIVING. *TR